Abstract

GIDI, Claudia. Smile at death: the jocular epitaphs. Iztapalapa. Rev. cienc. soc. humanid. [online]. 2020, vol.41, n.88, pp.73-95.  Epub Aug 28, 2020. ISSN 2007-9176.  https://doi.org/10.28928/ri/882020/atc3/gidic.

Linked to funereal ritual, epitaph is an epigrammatic form that prevails since the most remote antiquity. Although in general terms epitaph is a discourse genre oriented towards paying homage to the dead, with mourning tints, along history it has suffered some changes. In this paper I would like to pay particular attention to a peculiar form of epitaph, associated to popular manifestations of laughter, namely brief texts of festive character in which the aim is to deride real or fictive people. However, epitaphs also appear in literary works of major extent. Its analysis can reveal some aspects of human culture not always considered among canonic genres.

Keywords : epigram; funeral; laughter; grotesque; minor genre.

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